Justin C. Frankel - Long Term Disability Lawyer

Justin C. Frankel is committed to fighting for the rights of clients when their long term disability insurance claims have been denied, delayed or terminated. His entire legal career is focused on representing long term disability insurance policy owners. His clients are treated with the utmost of concern and care during very difficult times.

Mr. Frankel represents clients in ERISA appeals and administrative proceedings every day. His in-depth understanding of this focused area of the law allows him to provide his clients with knowledgeable and experienced representation. Mr. Frankel brings an understanding of the ERISA appeals process, the highly complex laws and rules that govern the ERISA process, and the tight time frames that are so critical to this area of the law to each matter that he handles.

Long term disability insurance claims are a complex and challenging area of the law. Mr. Frankel’s years of experience and his knowledge of the law and the LTD insurance business offer clients a comprehensive understanding of the LTD claims process and the inner-workings of the insurance companies that seek to deny their claims. For some clients, working with Mr. Frankel is a one-time event, where their claims are resolved and their disability benefits continue to come in. For others, Mr. Frankel works with clients on an on-going basis to ensure that their disability benefits continue to be paid. Each situation may be different, but Mr. Frankel works diligently and aggressively to solve the problem.

Clients represented by Mr. Frankel include a Registered Nurse who posted a review on AVVO that said that he understands chronic pain and the impact that it has on her life “better than any doctor” she has ever talked to. An attorney who was referred to Mr. Frankel by another attorney gave him a five-star review on AVVO and said that “In my view, when your claim comes in on Justin’s letterhead, the insurance company pays attention.”

One of the key differences for clients working with the Law Office of Justin Frankel is that clients work with Justin. The firm has deliberately maintained its focus on the disability insurance practice and on a one-on-one relationship with clients. The firm believes that this offers clients a better experience in terms of the care and compassion they receive with their legal representation. It is understood by all members of the firm that a delayed, denied or terminated disability claim at a time when the person is too disabled to work is one of the hardest times for them and their families.

Mr. Frankel is also a highly skilled and trained litigator and represents clients in court at all levels of litigation: county, state and federal. He represents owners of privately owned or individual long term disability insurance policies whose benefits have been terminated, delayed, denied, or who are being investigated by the insurance companies.

Martindale-Hubbell® has rated Mr. Frankel an AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated, the highest possible designation from Martindale-Hubbell. Super Lawyers has named Mr. Frankel to its select list of attorneys for the 2011 and 2013 – 2023 New York Metro listings. Only five percent of the lawyers in the New York Metro area are named by Super Lawyers to this prestigious group.

Prior to forming the Law Office of Justin Frankel, Mr. Frankel worked tirelessly representing policyholders in all types of insurance matters, primarily long term disability insurance litigation and complex civil litigation. Previously, he spent many years at a major law firm representing individuals whose rights had been violated through class action litigation throughout the country.

Mr. Frankel is a regular speaker before bar associations and medical organizations regarding disability claims, and has published numerous articles on Disability Insurance. He received his B.A. from Stony Brook University and his J.D. from CUNY School of Law.

He is an active member and long-standing supporter of the AHRC-Garden City auxiliary, an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.

Areas of Practice

• Long Term Disability Insurance Claims
• ERISA Long Term Disability Insurance Claims (The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974)

Bar Admissions

• New York, 1997
• Pennsylvania, 2006
• Connecticut, 1996
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit
• Supreme Court of the United States of America

Education

• J.D. – City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, Long Island City, New York
• B.A. – Stony Brook University

Representative Cases

• Barber v. Sun Life & Health Ins. Co., 894 f.Supp.2d 174 (D. Conn., 2012)
• Cacoperdo v. Hartford Life Ins. Co., 2011 US Dist LEXIS 115003 (S.D.N.Y. 2011)
• Garban v. Cigna Life Ins. Co., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 89323 (S.D.N.Y. 2011)
• Puri v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., U.S. District Court For The District Of Connecticut, 2011 784 F. Supp. 2d 103
• Burgio v. Prudential Life Ins. Co. Of Am., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 90115 (E.D.N.Y. 2009) and 253 F.R.D. 219 (E.D.N.Y. 2008)
• Testa v. Hartford Life Ins. Co., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20741 (E.D.N.Y. 2011) and 485 Fed. Appx. 595 (2d Cir. 2012)
• Martucci v. Hartford Life Ins. Co., 863 F.Supp.2d 269 (S.D.N.Y. 2012)
• Mergel v. Prudential Life Ins. Co. of Am., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 85594 (S.D.N.Y. 2009)
• Hogan-Cross v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., 568 F.Supp.2d 410 (S.D.N.Y. 2008)
• Trussel v. Cigna Life Ins. Co., 552 F. Supp. 2d 387 (S.D.N.Y. 2008)
• Dream Spa, Inc. v. Fireman’s Fund Ins., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8933 (S.D.N.Y. 2008)
• Asuncion v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., 493 F. Supp. 2d 716 (S.D.N.Y. 2007)
• Lee v. Aetna Life & Cas. Ins. Co., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38205 (S.D.N.Y. 2007) and 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5809 (S.D.N.Y. 2006)
• Samedy v. First Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am., 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13375 (E.D.N.Y. 2006)
• In re Acceptance Ins. Cos., Sec. Litig., 352 F. Supp. 2d 928 (D. Neb. 2001)
• In re IKON Office Solutions, Inc., 277 F.3d 658, (3 Cir. 2002)

Honors and Awards

• AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell®
• Selected to the list of attorneys for the 2013 – 2023 New York Metro listings, Super Lawyers

Pro Bono Activities

• AHRC-Garden City auxiliary, Member and Long-Standing Supporter